spotted owl

In what conservation groups say is a win for science over political manipulation, a federal judge ruled Wednesday that the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service must revise its recovery and habitat designation plans for the northern spotted owl.

“Today is a great day for the people of Oregon — and the country — as the U.S. Department of the Interior withdrew legally flawed plans for the management of Oregon’s western public forests under the Bureau of Land Management. This important decision will help preserve ancient forests that provide critical wildlife habitat, clean drinking water and outstanding recreational opportunities — all of which positively impact the economic vitality of Oregon’s coastal communities.

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With the spotted owl population in the Pacific Northwest continuing to decline, a long awaited decision on the status of the 2008 spotted owl recovery plan was welcomed last week by those of us who work on northwest forest issues.